Lucid Dreaming

Feral Mutant : have you got a good dream memory? I think it is important (and also much easier) to develop this before you can expect to achieve lucid dreaming.

One very good way to improve your dream memory is to keep a notebook beside your bed and write down anything you remember as soon as you wake up. Even if this is only a single line or two, jot it down. You'll soon find yourself remembering more and more as a result.

When I started doing this last year I was writing no more than a couple of words for the first few mornings but within a couple of weeks I was writing full paragraphs and then entire pages.

I think this helps when trying to achieve lucidity as you become more familiar with what goes on in the dream state and therefor more likely to notice when you are actually dreaming.

Most of my lucid dreams are sparked by an event which I realise could not occur in the waking world. I've never had much luck with the techniques I've read about, such as looking at a digital clock (if you get into the habbit, when awake, of looking at a digital clock at regular intervals -- say every half hour -- the idea is that while dreaming you will do the same.. in a dream you'll be unable to read the time and hopefully realise you're dreaming).

I'm doing a write up now on one of the first lucid dream I had, which was last summer. I'll post it soon. (was going to post in the astral projection thread.. might put it here instead but if I don't, it'll be over there )

Was going to post this in the astral projection thread, but I'm not really sure it counts as such - I would have thought astral projection had more to do with projecting yourself in the waking world, possibly (but not essentially) using sleep and dreams as a way to do it, rather than simply a vivid and powerful dream of a distant place.

Anyway, I'll do my best to recall this dream, it's one of the best and most memorable I've had and I think could well have been the first time I achived lucidity in a dream (where you gain actual control of your actions.. sort of like experiencing the dream world with a sober head).

Bit of background : I spent a year in Prague last year and it was, iirc, towards the start of the summer that I had this dream. I was living with a couple of friends from Donegal and also with a guy from Rosscommon who I had met in Prague a few months earlier.

The guy from Roscommon was a a self confessed 'spiritual guru' (his words, not mine. he was also more than a little bit crazy). Myself and one of my Donegal friends had been interested in spirituality for a few years, perticularly Buddhism in my case, and were spending consideribly more time on the subject than we had done before. We were all quite aware of the energy, good and bad, in the house and between us all.

I was also coming to terms with my homosexuality at the time so, in a nut shell, it was altogether a pretty crazy few months.

Onto the dream : At the start of the dream myself and my two friends from Donegal were looking at a house with the prospect of renting it. The house itself I didn't recognise but the area I knew well as being my hometown in Donegal, not far from where the three of us did in fact rent a house the year before moving to Prague. The house was graet anyway and the dream seemed to move forward in time to a point where we had moved in.

Next thing I remember the landlord was knocking on the back door. He seemed very annoyed about something and demanded that myself and my friend follow him outside. We walked with him around to the side of the house -- taking the very long way around for some reason. At the side of the house he pointed angrally to a mark on the wall, which seemed to be the remains of a bird that had smashed itself against it. I remember thinking it was a bit odd that he give out to us for this.

After that things started to get a bit strange. My friend and the landlord continued walking up towards our towns main street and I found myself lagging behind. There was a strong wind which was holding me back while they seemed uneffected by it and then seemingly oblivious to the fact I was there at all.. they kept walking, getting further and further away.

On the main street they crossed the road on headed down another side street. I crossed over to follow them but as I turned into the side street the wind became unbearably strong and I simply coundn't go after them.. it was like a barrier holding me back. I turned away and walked slowly down the main street instead.

Everything on the street seemed fairly normal, and very vivid, except the cars were going the wrong way (it's a one-way street). As I walked on some sort of wedding procession came up the road, passing me by on the right hand side. The people in the cars were celebrating wildly and as they passed they rolled down their windows and started cheering and clapping at me. At this point I noticed I had started to float about half a foot off the ground.. this seemed to be what they were cheering about.

This is when lucidity kicked in and I realised I could have a bit of fun with this. I smiled and waved back and then did a little Superman impression with my arms stretched out in front of me.. I couldn't get my legs up behind me (as superman flys) they were more or less 'walking' just a little bit above the ground. The people in the cars thought this was great craic anyway and cheered louder.. I was only too happy to entertain.

When I got to the bottom of the street I soared upwards over the buildings and towards where we used to live. The sceanery was different (and much nicer) than it actually is. I got a bit anxious when I realised I had gone very high, as I had never done this before, and tried to find a way to get back down.

I saw a huge tree in a big walled garden and decided to make towards that.. I spiraled around the tree, sort of using it as a gravitational force or something, and started to wind downwards. Made it about half way down and then landed on a branch.

I got very scared all of a suddon because I was still very high up and wasn't at all sure that I could fly again if I took a step off the branch. I also found myself suddenly holding a stack of CD's.. I dropped these quickly and grabbed the tree trunk for support. Then I remembered that I was in control and there was nothing at all to be frightened about.

Next time I looked down, the branch I was standing on was no more than a meter or two of the ground and I just jumped down and started gathering up the broken pieces of CD's. I got another fright when I looked over and saw a couple of young bear cubs (about the size of myself) sitting by a bush not too far away from me. Then again I rememberd there was no need for fear and tried not to pay them too much attention (just in case they might attack if I started stairing or something). One thing I do remember is that they were sitting playing on a bunch of the most beautiful and vividly purple leaves I've ever seen (or dreamt).

One of the cubs made there way towards me, I still tried not to look at him directly, and just sat down beside me playing with his leaves.

Next thing I noticed someone knocking on the window of the house behind me. I thought they were giving out about me being in the garden and I started trying to explain myself. The guy at the window laughed and shook his head, then came out the side door to talk to me.

Turns out they had been 'waiting for me' and he invited me in to 'meet the rest of them'. Inside the house there were a bunch of people sitting around the kitchen table and someone else preparing a meal. The food smelt wonderful, first time I remember a sense of smell in a dream. Everyone introduced themselves and then the food was served. I woke up just as the plate was put in front of me.



...wow, long post :-/